Just one of those years
by KazeLikeTheWind
Summary: Natsuki fell for someone online, and now has to hunt down the truth behind all the lies she has been told along with new mysteries presenting themselves to not just her, but those who try to protect her. "They say when reality becomes better than your dreams, you're truly in love."


**Hello! Just your friendly reminder that I, Kaze, do not own Mai Hime.  
**

**Note: This may get a little confusing, but I'll try to make things clear.**

**R&R!**

**)(MaiHime)(**

Natsuki shifted on her feet tiredly. It had been a long, long week at school for her and all she wanted to do was sleep, but no. Her mom just had to drag her to town so she could settle some things for her older brother. Why did she have to go? As if her week hadn't been bad enough already. The emerald eyed beauty covered her mouth as she yawned. Just how long was this going to take?! This is ridiculous! She walked briskly down the hall way, trying to entertain herself.

Feeling her pocket shake, the dog lover pulled out her phone and felt a surge of emotions run through her. _It's that number. _Without second thought she raced out side and hurriedly answered. It was amazing she didn't having a heart attack, it was hammering so hard in her chest, she was thankful she was fit and able to handle it. She had been expecting this call ever since the moment she had hung up the first time she had spoken to _her _family.

"Hello?" Natsuki listened closely, as if not quite believing she had actually gotten the call she had been waiting for all this time.

"Ara, is this Nat?" "Y-yeah." There was a long pause, Natsuki bit her lower lip to the point it almost bled. She could feel the empty pit her in stomach, it wasn't who she had thought it would be. Actually, she had no idea who it was.  
"This is Shizuru... Do you know why my Aunt Midori killed herself?" _Shit! What the hell am I suppose to say to a seven year old?! How did she even get my number?  
_"We-well, I believe she didn't want anyone to see her in pain anymore, and wanted people to quit pitying her." Once again, a long pause, and it was driving Natsuki insane. _Fates, please let me handle this well. Just this one time, I ask you to let me be good with children._  
"They told me she was smiling when she died. She always had a smile on her face. And she talked about you a lot, always happy talking about you." A pit filled the raven haired girls stomach, and that spread to her chest. God, how her heart ached hearing that. After going so long from hearing from her family, she had started to lose hope she would ever hear from the family again.  
"Are you okay, Shizuru? Are they taking good care of you?"  
"Yeah, I'm living with my grandma now with our doggies." She could hear the girl take a deep breath. "So... I wanted to hear your voice. The person my aunt was always talking about, the girl she always mentioned whose so close to my age." Natsuki chocked on air and cleared her throat. "Your age?! Midori told me you were seven years old!" Natsuki could hear the other girl laugh softly. "No, I am sixteen. My aunt wasn't known for being honest." The emerald eyed girl bit her lower lip again. She had learned that all too well. "But I think she was pretty honest. She was never mean to me, just a little strict. Can I ask you some things Nat?"  
"Of course! Ask whatever you want to, I'll answer what I can." She walked over to her moms car and sat on the hood. This phone call was going to last a while.

**)(MaiHime)(**

"I'm telling you, she isn't dead. It just doesn't feel right Nat, I seriously thing she's lying to you. It's what you get for trusting someone online, as much as I hate to say it." _Should've known she would say that. But, she's never been wrong... Still..._

"Give me her full name and birth date. I'll run it up with my old boss, he's a sheriff so I'm sure we'll find something. Send it as a text so I won't have to write it down." Natsuki did as she was told. She had to admit, Miyu had been a real blessing in all this. In the start she had instantly been at the younger girl's side, she remembered how quickly the girl broke through her cold exterior, and vise versa.  
"I'll text you when I find out something. Be good pup." Natsuki mumbled a small reply and curled up on her bed.

_She doesn't feel dead to me. I don't get it at all._ Pulling her pillow up to her chest, she let out a long sigh. Why was she so stupid? She had heard the horror stories of people falling in love online. One person is honest, the other isn't the person in the photos. Her dad was always talking about all the stories he had heard, some murderer tricking girls on Crag's list, a girl giving nudes to some old, fat man. _I only gave her one photo, though. And I wasn't being reveling or anything like that. _  
She wasn't that secure of her own looks, never had been. Even after they had been "dating" for two months, they hadn't even traded actual photos. Natsuki didn't care, she was happy, happier than she had been in a long time. What was so wrong with that? She knew the risk, but paid them no mind. But just how much was she willing to believe?

She rolled on to her side and stared at the glass cage on her dresser. Natsuki had gone over this in her head millions of times, the "flags" as she liked to call them. The first, had to have been when Midori had told her she had been raped and was pregnant. Natsuki had ignored all signs of natural instinct and believed her. She even went as far as to say that she would gladly take the child in as her own if their relationship got that far.  
Natsuki mentally cussed herself out. Even after the "miscarriage" she had still gone along with it.

**)(MaiHime)(**

Two weeks ago.

Finally! Natsuki swung her bag off her shoulder and collapsed on her sofa. School was never something she enjoyed much, but she always looked forward to the time afterwards. It was the time she got to talk to Midori, her online lover. Even if they had only traded one photo, it had already been forth months since Midori had asked her to be her girlfriend. It surprised many of their fellow bloggers, do to the fact Natsuki always came off as someone not to go for such relationships. Or any relationship at all that is. Licking her dry lips, the teenager logged into her Ipod touch Gen. 2 and opened her Yahoo! Messenger app. Seeing the yellow dot, she grinned even bigger.

_"Are you Nat, Mai, or Nina?"_

_"This is Nat. Who are you?" _

_"Oh. Midori killed herself."_

**)(MaiHime)(**

The emerald eyed beauty pulled herself out of her bed and glanced at the clock. 23:45, a sigh left her lips as she stripped down to just her boxer briefs. Being a hot sleeper meant no sleep if it got too hot under the covers. Natsuki pulled a old, worn dog pushie close to her chest as her mind wondered. There would be no sleeping for her tonight. Letting out a frustrated sigh, Natsuki growled at herself as if it would scare her body to fall asleep. It didn't take long for her to give up however, making her let out another sigh.

**)(MaiHime)(**

"Well, if it isn't Miyu! Been a while since I've seen you here!" She gave a small, polite smile to her old boss. Clearly he hadn't lost any weight since they had last cross paths. "It has been a while, you've been well I hope?" He shrugged as he opened the door to his office for her. Miyu walked in a bit than waited on her old boss to sit down.

"So, what brings you here? Didn't get in trouble did you?" She shook her head and pointed to his desk top. "I have a small favor to ask. I need to look up some records on someone." He studied her for a moment. They say when you've been on the job for so long, all it takes is one, hard long look to tell if a persons intentions were to be questioned. "... All right. Give me a name and birth day." Miyu took out her phone and showed him the text. He gave her a "are you serious?" look when seeing the contact name was listed as Pup. Knowing better to question her, he did as asked. They took up small talk as they waited for the computer to load. When it beeped, they both glanced at it.

**)(MaiHime)(**

"Jackson Police Department. How may I help you?" Natsuki paused a bit at the woman's thick, southern accent.  
"Hi, I need some help. I got told my girl friend committed suicide, but I'm out of state for schooling and I haven't been able to find a obituary." She could hear her take a deep breath. "Please hold." _You have got to be kidding me. I finally work up the courage to call and __I get put on hold!_

"Hello, this is Mary with Jackson county Police. I'm afraid I can't release that kind of information to anyone that isn't family ma'am." Natsuki bit back a cry. She thought she might finally be able to get some answers by calling a police department, but it wasn't turning out well. When she didn't answer, she heard the woman sigh. "Give me her name and birth date. I'll see if I can find a coroner that might, might be able to tell you something."  
"Midori Sugiura, she was born June 13, 1991." Natsuki waited (somewhat) patiently for the woman to gather up what she could.  
"Ma'am... I can't find any medical records. No birth, no nothing under that name." That time, Natsuki couldn't hold back the tears. _It was all a lie. That means Shizuru lied too when she called me. _"Let me give you a number to call hun. They aren't held by law to not give out information, I wish you luck." Natsuki wrote the number down on the back of a old drawing. "Thank you!" Not even waiting for a answer, Natsuki hung up and quickly dialed the number.

**)(MaiHime)(**

**So, this is the start. I added more to this chapter, so hopefully it'll be better now.**


End file.
